The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for inhibiting corrosion, and more particularly to a new and improved apparatus and method that prevents the corroding of cooling fluid passageways and other surfaces of internal combustion engines during storage or prolonged periods of non-use. This is accomplished by removing substantially all of the oxygen and/or water vapor from the passageways and surfaces.
Internal combustion engines generate power by controlling multiple, successive explosions of a combustible fuel within one or more combustion chambers. The process generates not only power through the power take off component of the engine, but also heat. The heat generated during the process must be dissipated from the engine to avoid catastrophic failure of the engine or its components. Smaller engines typically dissipate heat through the flow of air across the engine. Air-cooled engines include cooling fins to increase the efficiency of the cooling process. This is commonly referred to as convection cooling. Engines used in the lawn and garden industry to provide power for lawn mowers, snow throwers, chain saws, etc. are commonly air-cooled.
Larger engines utilize a liquid fluid, such as water or water in combination with other ingredients for cooling purposes. Specifically, these larger engines include one or more fluid-tight passageways located within the engine and around the exterior of the engine to serve this purpose. Since the majority of the heat is produced in the combustion chambers, the majority of passageways are formed about this area of the engine. This structure is sometimes referred to as the water jacket.
Liquid fluid cooled engines can be further classified into two categories: closed loop systems and open loop systems. Closed loop systems circulate a predetermined amount of liquid fluid through the engine and a heat exchanger, such as a radiator. A pump is provided to circulate the liquid fluid. The fluid is commonly referred to as coolant. The fluid absorbs the excess heat around the combustion chamber (and elsewhere) of the engine and then dissipates or cools the fluid in the heat exchanger. As the system is closed, no new or additional fluid is added or removed from the system during cooling (i.e. engine operation).
An open loop system also includes a pump, but by contrast the open loop system draws the cooling fluid from a fluid source, circulates the fluid through the cooling system and then expels the fluid back to the source. This type of cooling system is commonly used on marine engines such as outboard engines, inboard engines and inboard/outboard engines. In the case of a marine engine, the cooling fluid comprises the body of water within which the boat utilizing the engine is situated. A common problem with an open loop cooling system is that the cooling fluid (i.e. water) includes all of the contaminants and corrosive components that exist in the fluid. For example, a marine engine operating in a salt-water environment is subject to the corrosive nature of the salt that accumulates in its cooling system.
The corrosive nature of salt in marine engines can ultimately lead to destruction and/or catastrophic failure of the engine after prolonged exposure to salt. To combat this problem, boat owners and operators typically “flush” their cooling systems by providing a fresh water supply at the engine's cooling fluid intake and operating the engine for a predetermined amount of time to flush the salt water and residual salt from the cooling system. It is desirable to flush an engine as soon as possible after operation in a salt-water environment so that the corrosive salts can be immediately removed. It is imperative that the salts be removed before the salt water cools and dries within the cooling system thereby forming salt crystals within the passageways and on the interior surfaces of the engine cooling system. A galvanic corrosive reaction occurs between the salts, oxygen, water vapor and metal engine components. If not terminated, the corrosion will continue leading to the ultimate destruction of the engine component or a portion thereof.
With respect to marine engines, it is known in the art to elevate a boat on a lift after operation in a salt water environment, connect a fresh water source to the cooling system intake and operate the engine for a sufficient time period in an attempt to remove all salt water and residual salt from the cooling system. Depending upon the specific type or style of marine engine, many companies manufacture devices that can be easily and temporarily coupled to the engine's water intake port. Such devices also include a coupling or fitting that is connected to a garden hose or similar supply line. The opposite end of the hose is connected to the fresh water source.
While this method and apparatus can also be used for marine engines that are still submersed in salt water, the removal of salts from the cooling system is much less effective as salt water is likely to leak into the cooling system during flushing as well as upon completion of the flushing process.
While this common flushing process is generally accepted as the best remedy for the removal of salt water from the engine's cooling system, it is known that the process does not remove all salt from the system. The flow of fluid through the cooling system is often such that there exist pockets or areas where the fresh water is either not circulated or not circulated in sufficient quantities to remove all of the salt. As a result, at some point in time the marine engine will be damaged or fail due to corrosion.
Additional drawbacks to the accepted method of flushing include the necessity of removing the boat from the water on a lift or rack, accessibility to a plentiful fresh water source, the necessity of operating the marine engine during the flushing process and the amount of time it takes to complete the flushing process.
Another known flushing system for marine engines is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,579,136 to Hahn, et al. This system includes a reservoir, a dispenser and a connection device. The reservoir is filled with a protective liquid fluid that includes anticorrosive properties. The dispenser allows for controlled release of the protective liquid fluid directly into the engine's cooling system downstream of the engine's water intake. The boat operator can release the protective fluid into the cooling system as needed (i.e. prior to storage of the boat).